How does Oxbridge admissions work?

depends on course and between Oxford or cambridge. Oxford often use a variety of factors to score an applicant or put them in bands beforehand using GCSE A*s, A-level grades and admissions tests scores. Quite often Oxford use an algorithm to rank students based on their GCSEs/cGCSEs/Entrance exam.

So, it is an algorithm that determines who's gonna receive an interview offer? If so, can entrance exam can compensate GCSE scores, and vice versa?

depends on the course, not all use an algorithm; at Oxford Medicine, an algorithm is used to rank students. 50% is GCSE, 50% BMAT. Not the same for all courses

how about less competitive courses like biology?

So, it is an algorithm that determines who's gonna receive an interview offer?

are you talking about Oxford, or Cambridge (natural sciences). Afaik there is no entrance exam for biology at oxford so you can't compensate for GCSEs in that.

Its often a part... to my knowledge though, all applications are at least looked at by a human, to make sure there are no major contextual factors they need to consider.

Not a single person though, least of all the head of admissions - imagine how long going through 1000-2000 applications would take!

Cambridge, I heard they have an entrance exam, and was wondering if it could be fully compensated by like getting the top mark

oh okay, can it (GCSE) also be compensated by high entrance exam score in courses like biology?

oh Cambridge don't care about gcses at all as long as you have decent grades for the sciences/maths. But it wouldn't be an issue no but they might differentiate between A-level predictions and they tend to interview most applicants. Getting a good entrance exam score is important too but you don't need to do amazing tbh. Also Cambridge don't offer biology, their Natsci course is one of their flagships and pretty competitive as a result.

If there is an entrance exam, they maybe?

Cambridge typically doesn't do a lot of selection based on GCSE AFAIK.

Ah okay, does it also apply to Oxford? Since I heard that they won't necessarily care about GCSE once A-level results are achieved??

For a lot of courses like Medicine, PPE and E&M Oxford view achieved A-level grades and predictions as the same so don't make a difference. I think this year the Biology department however, interviewed everyone who met the min entry requirements if they had achieved those A-level grades already and demonstrated a good interest in biology. Poor GCSEs before this will be a big hindrance though and they don't do an admissions test for Oxford biology.

also, I was wondering. I heard that if you'd get the top score in the admission score, you would be automatically interviewed? Is that true?

right thanks,

hb other courses like chemistry or other less competitive courses that do require admission tests? Will I have a chance to compensate poor GCSEs by achieving the top grade?